The Day

This is a poem I wrote the night of Sept 11 when I could not yet sleep. I think I may have lost it on an old computer and had been looking for it recently, but an old friend spontaneously posted it to my Facebook wall this morning. Another loving reminder of how I am blessed.

 

The Day

 

Armed with coffee, I arrive at the office

… having successfully navigated

a tractor trailer accident

the Dunkin Donuts’ drive-through

and those automated gates in the parking garage

Coffee still hot and email unread

the 1st call comes

a single plane crashed into an international symbol of commerce

 

accident or intent?

 

before the question has fully formed in our minds

the 2nd call comes

 

accident is ruled out

 

twin towers

twin destruction

the chaos begins

on the longest day of our lives

our military headquarters

that impenetrable fortress

penetrated with brutal deliberate force

 

somewhere someone is laughing

the drama increases

as each tower collapses

enveloping an already dazed populace

with ash and soot

… fanning out like an evil menace

coating us all

getting into all of our collective pores

making it impossible to see anything

but red, under the clear blue sky

across the country, we reach out to each other

are you okay?

 

no, me neither…

 

in this divided society,

we, who are often at one another’s throats,

we are at once united

united in tragedy

united in confusion

united in concern

 

this day which will be remembered by all but the youngest

we realize there is BEFORE this day

 

and AFTER

 

but now there is still this day

this uncertainty

this vulnerability, which brings us closer

after all…

there are survivors to pray for

loved ones to comfort

flags to be lowered

blood to be donated

 

as I sink into my pillow

I marvel at the stark difference between

the world I woke up in and…

the world I go to sleep in.

 

— amanda allen, 9/11/01

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